Chapter 69

"Agar, squid ink, sugar... everything is here."

Sora checks the tools and announces the start of the work.

The location is the magic technology room at the end of the Daikiju Hall, a laboratory supervised by Sania. This room, where only Sora, Sania, and Razette are present, is filled with technical information considered important secrets of the viscount's territory, such as the production of high-pressure dense wood and dry ice.

It is a key facility on par with Luly's science and technology room, which handles a wide range of technologies from flame bottles to the design of new ships.

Sania, who is also in charge of this facility, looks at the moldy parchment that Sora brought with a frown.

"It smells moldy."

Sania pouts in protest.

"You'll have to endure it for a week."

Sora's merciless words make her shoulders droop.

Razette, sending a sympathetic glance to Sania, asks about Sora's purpose.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"First, dissolve the agar, squid ink, and sugar in water."

Sora hands her a paper with the quantities and a flask. While Razette starts the work, Sora turns back to Sania and gives another instruction.

"Draw a magic circle to maintain a constant temperature of 30 degrees. I'll draw one for 120 degrees."

Sora, who finished drawing the magic circle in half the time it took Sania, takes the flask with the materials from Razette, seals it, and heats it to 120 degrees with magic. After a while, he stops the magic and exposes it to the air. Once it cools down enough to handle, he transfers the contents to a glass container.

"Is this squid ink agar jelly?"

Razette asks with a look of disgust. While she enjoyed the agar jelly that Cole made yesterday, she absolutely refuses this squid ink agar jelly.

"Next, we'll plant the mold on this and leave it at 30 degrees for a week. If we take our time on the way to the capital, we can buy some time."

Sora rotates his shoulders to relieve the stiffness.

What he is doing is cultivating the mold that grows on the parchment. He uses sugar as a carbon source and squid ink, which contains a lot of amino acids, as a nitrogen source to provide nutrients in the agar medium.

"If it doesn't go well, we can fall back on iodine, but this will increase the success rate."

After preparing everything, Sora plants the mold on the medium and starts the cultivation with the magic circle Sania created to maintain a constant temperature.

"Sania, I'll leave the rest to you."

"Sure, sure. I'll take care of it. I'll take care of it."

Sania grumbles but accepts the task.

Sora and Razette are stopped in the corridor on their way from the magic technology room to the office by one of the maids.

The maid, who has a past of moving to the Kleinzelt viscount's territory with her village and enjoys changing clothes, informs them that the president of the Wooddora Trading Company, Zendo, has come to visit.

"Sure, the merchant moves fast."

Sora grins and heads to the reception room.

In the reception room, a well-built businessman and his right-hand woman, Minan, are waiting.

"Viscount Kleinzelt, it's been a while. We are very grateful for the profit we made from the last transaction."

Zendo bows deeply.

Despite his subservient attitude, he subtly observes Sora, a habit of a businessman.

"By the way, what is the purpose of this invitation?"

Zendo, prompted to sit, immediately assumes a business posture.

Sora signals to Razette to prepare the gold and begins to speak. Zendo strokes his chin at the content.

"Didn't that fail last time?"

"It's different this time; the situation has dramatically changed."

"Hmm, but..."

Zendo looks into Sora's eyes. Finding confidence in them, he is about to agree when Minan speaks up first.

"I'll take it as an advance payment."

"Minan, wait a moment. Who is the president of the company? Say it."

Zendo hurriedly orders the woman, who is also his right-hand, to speak.

Minan gives him a look of exasperation.

"If Viscount Kleinzelt's plan fails, any fool who hesitates over a deal that benefits the company should step down as president."

"..."

Zendo, visibly dejected at being outwitted, is seen to be sulking.

Sora, despite his wry smile, exchanges the contract.

After seeing off the two from the Wooddora Trading Company, Sora returns to the office.

It has been ten days since the information was brought by Chaff, but the summons from the capital has not yet arrived. Bartz and Chaff are successfully delaying it.

On the other hand, the summons has apparently reached the viscount's territory, and Viscount Kleinzelt, Salon Kleinzelt, and High Priest Leul have already set out.

For them, delaying the summons offers no benefit.

The viscount, wary of assassination, will likely travel to the capital by sea, bypassing the Bartz territory, and through the lands of neutral or fellow church nobles.

It would be delightful if they became fish food in that sea of devils, but unfortunately, it won't be that easy.

Sitting in the office chair, Sora reviews his plan.

He is confident that he has made all possible preparations.

Still, to prepare for failure, Sora speaks to Razette.

"If I lose my viscount title, don't forget to take the accumulated technical information with you."

The technology of the viscount's territory is of a different caliber from that of other territories. Acquiring even one of these technologies would be equivalent to obtaining a large sum of money or an unparalleled military force.

To achieve military power against an army with magic, one must either chant a spell that takes hours without a single mistake or draw a massive magic circle with perfect precision.

Magic in this world is not easily converted into direct military power.

However, the viscount's territory has technologies such as flame bottles and dry ice that can be used as weapons, and magic circles significantly reduced in size by advanced mathematics.

If someone with a bloodthirsty nature were to get their hands on these technologies, they would likely start a war with gusto.

To prevent the kingdom from being turned into a sea of fire, all the technology must be hidden.

After explaining this, Razette nods.

"But I don't think you would give up just by losing your viscount title, Sora-sama."

"I won't give up, but my father will surely try to kill me."

It's only natural, as keeping me alive would only bring disadvantages. He will probably make it look like a suicide by poisoning or something.

"Before I die, I want to touch Sania's ears."

"What are you saying, Sora-sama? That's such a bad omen."

Moreover, is that your last wish before dying? Razette asks in a disbelieving tone.

"Alright, I'll make sure to grope them without any regrets!"

Sora, seemingly resolved, dashes out of the office.

Razette's reaction is slow, lagging behind his speed.

"Sora-sama!? Wait a moment!"

Razette hurriedly chases after Sora, who has already run out into the corridor.

However, Sora is already 15 years old, and his speed is far beyond what it was in his childhood.

After a while, when Razette, who had lost sight of Sora, hears a scream from the Daikiju Hall, she slows down and starts walking.

"Sora-sama. I thought he was being unusually quiet lately, but he was just biding his time."

"That seems to be the case. But Sora-sama underestimates the physical abilities of the beastmen too much."

Razette shrugs, and Luly chuckles. As they turn the corner of the corridor, they hear a voice from outside.

Peeking out the window, they see Sania throwing Sora. It seems he missed his chance to touch her ears again.

Three days later, a summons to the capital arrives at Sora's place.

January 30, 2023, revision